A Maldon district councillor began the March the Month challenge today to raise money for prostate cancer research in memory of her dad, who died of the disease last year.

Councillor Jeanette Stilts will walk 11,000 steps a day throughout September for the challenge, by Prostate Cancer UK, to represent the over 11,000 men who die from prostate cancer each year in the UK.

On a mission to save lives, Councillor Stilts said that she is completing the challenge to raise vital funds for the charity but also "to raise awareness in men of prostate cancer", which is the most common cancer in men in the UK.

She said: "My dad passed away from prostate cancer last November so I'm doing this for him.

"It's one of those cancers that, if doctors can catch it early enough, then the treatment is a lot better - but a lot of men won't go for testing as they don't like to talk about it."

According to Cancer Research UK, 100 per cent of people with prostate cancer will survive for five years or more when the disease is diagnosed at its earliest stage.

This figure falls to 49 per cent of people when the disease is diagnosed at its latest stage.

Councillor Stilts will be wearing her Prostate Cancer UK T-shirt as she walks around the district, and hopes to meet and chat to residents on the way.

"I'll be wandering around Maldon and around different places, trying to get these 11,000 steps in every day," she said.

"Anybody that fancies walking with me for a little bit and having a chat, feel free to do so."

She added: "I know that all charities are feeling the pinch because of Covid and everything else, so I thought it would just be nice to do something.

"It's really to save the lives of other people."

To view or donate to Councillor Stilts' fundraiser, you can use the link here.

To view or donate to other fundraisers participating in the challenge, you can visit the March the Month website via the link here.

To find out more about prostate cancer, including its symptoms, you can visit Prostate Cancer UK's website using the link here.